story20682.xml
Title
story20682.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2006-09-11
911DA Story: Story
Rejected But Not Forgotten!
Like so many of us, my life forever changed on September 11th, 2001. That day, the shock, the sadness, the interminable grief left me wanting to do something, anything for those poor victims and their families. After days of anguishing and searching for an answer, it suddenly came to me. That is, to erect a free monument to the thousands of lives lost.
The design came me to one night, and I just knew it was what I'd been looking for. Aptly, it was two tall slim towers of polished stainless steel, surrounded by a 'pentagonal' low wall of limestone.
But I also knew that a project of this magnitude would be extremely costly. So the next day, I went around to area companies for their support and help. And to my jubilant surprise, they too were anxious to get involved.
An area steel company offered to construct, erect, and even maintain forever the towers. Their workers even volunteered to come in on their days off to hand build the structures. "After all," they said, "we are steel workers and it was steel workers who built these buildings, and it was steel workers who came out voluntarily to clear the rubble and look for survivors. It's the least we can do."
A local stone company readily donated all the limestone materials and other companies offered their assistance. I was totally overcome by these enthusiastic, patriotic, and charitable contributors. I really thought our message to the fallen would finally succeed. I was so wrong.
I had no idea that this simple and quiet symbol and act of remembrance would solicit so many objections from civic, community, religious, government, and institutional groups. This freely donated and fully funded memorial was rejected without public hearing as "inappropriate", "offensive to Moslems", and even, "out-of-character" by one community.
"Offensive?" I asked, "To whom?" "Out-of-character? Inappropriate?" I wondered, "How's it possible?"
To counter these and other religious differences and objections, I further sought and received the absolute endorsement of MAT, Moslems Against Terrorism, an international group of prominent Moslems. They strongly felt that this would be a way to convey their opposition to these terrible attacks.
Have we become so sullen in our being "politically correct" to find such a memorial offensive? After all, I had made a silent promise to all of those fallen three thousand that I would see that they would not be forgotten and die in vain.
When in the act of a purely patriotic and charitable undertaking, I've been met with such cold and unreasonable dismissive objections, I just don't know where or to whom to turn. I guess now it's time to take it to you, the people.
So I humbly ask you, "Do you find it offensive, inappropriate, or out-of-character?"
Isn't there someone out there who cares? Who'll help me in this Memorial to 911?
Contact me: Remember September Committee, Mr. Marc Stephens at marcsusa@msn.com, 616 ½ Wilson Place, Frederick, Md. 21702, phone:240-344-2960.
Like so many of us, my life forever changed on September 11th, 2001. That day, the shock, the sadness, the interminable grief left me wanting to do something, anything for those poor victims and their families. After days of anguishing and searching for an answer, it suddenly came to me. That is, to erect a free monument to the thousands of lives lost.
The design came me to one night, and I just knew it was what I'd been looking for. Aptly, it was two tall slim towers of polished stainless steel, surrounded by a 'pentagonal' low wall of limestone.
But I also knew that a project of this magnitude would be extremely costly. So the next day, I went around to area companies for their support and help. And to my jubilant surprise, they too were anxious to get involved.
An area steel company offered to construct, erect, and even maintain forever the towers. Their workers even volunteered to come in on their days off to hand build the structures. "After all," they said, "we are steel workers and it was steel workers who built these buildings, and it was steel workers who came out voluntarily to clear the rubble and look for survivors. It's the least we can do."
A local stone company readily donated all the limestone materials and other companies offered their assistance. I was totally overcome by these enthusiastic, patriotic, and charitable contributors. I really thought our message to the fallen would finally succeed. I was so wrong.
I had no idea that this simple and quiet symbol and act of remembrance would solicit so many objections from civic, community, religious, government, and institutional groups. This freely donated and fully funded memorial was rejected without public hearing as "inappropriate", "offensive to Moslems", and even, "out-of-character" by one community.
"Offensive?" I asked, "To whom?" "Out-of-character? Inappropriate?" I wondered, "How's it possible?"
To counter these and other religious differences and objections, I further sought and received the absolute endorsement of MAT, Moslems Against Terrorism, an international group of prominent Moslems. They strongly felt that this would be a way to convey their opposition to these terrible attacks.
Have we become so sullen in our being "politically correct" to find such a memorial offensive? After all, I had made a silent promise to all of those fallen three thousand that I would see that they would not be forgotten and die in vain.
When in the act of a purely patriotic and charitable undertaking, I've been met with such cold and unreasonable dismissive objections, I just don't know where or to whom to turn. I guess now it's time to take it to you, the people.
So I humbly ask you, "Do you find it offensive, inappropriate, or out-of-character?"
Isn't there someone out there who cares? Who'll help me in this Memorial to 911?
Contact me: Remember September Committee, Mr. Marc Stephens at marcsusa@msn.com, 616 ½ Wilson Place, Frederick, Md. 21702, phone:240-344-2960.
Collection
Citation
“story20682.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed December 20, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/9086.